Mumbai: After more than 12-hours of being stranded in the long distance Mahalakshmi Express train, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Indian Navy rescued around 1,050 passengers on Saturday afternoon. The train had left Mumbai on Friday night for Kolhapur, but could not travel beyond the Chamtoli area in Badlapur (around 60 kilometres from Mumbai) as torrential rains continued to flood the railway tracks in Mumbai suburbs. The train had been stranded since 3 am and the final rescue work was completed only 12 hours later.
A coordinated joint rescue operation was conducted by the NDRF and the navy, but the incessant downpour delayed the work. Several children and around nine pregnant women were among those stranded. People took to social media to share their woes and seek help. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis instructed the state chief secretary to personally monitor the rescue operations. Periodic updates were issed by the CM on his social media profile since morning.
Happy to inform that all the passengers stranded in #MahalaxmiExpress have been evacuated safely.
Congratulations & Thank you to @NDRFHQ , Army, @indiannavy , Airforce, Police, Indian Railways, Local administration and entire team for this coordinated & great efforts! pic.twitter.com/31oN5c9aFa— Devendra Fadnavis (@Dev_Fadnavis) July 27, 2019
Along with the NDRF rescue team, several ambulances and around 40 doctors, including a gynaecologist, were deployed in case of emergency situations. The Western Naval Command (WNC) has deployed eight rescue teams in the flooded areas, including three diving teams. Both the Navy and the Air Force had sent its teams in helicopters for the rescue work. However, according to the defence public relations, “The helicopters of Navy and Air Force had to return to base after doing an aerial survey due to the bad weather.” One inflatable boat, however, was disembarked by Navy choppers to assist in rescue operations, the official told the media.
RPF and City Police in stranded Mahalaxmi Express assuring the passengers.#MumbaiRainsLiveUpdates @drmmumbaicr pic.twitter.com/o9pMQPnox9
— Central Railway (@Central_Railway) July 27, 2019
#MahalaxmiExpress UPDATE
Last few passengers mostly elderly, differently abled & others slightly unwell/nervous, evacuated to safety as reported from ground zero. #TEAMNDRFINDIA will do finalcheck b4 closing ops@NDRFHQ @HMOIndia @PMOIndia @PIB_India @CMOMaharashtra @DDNewsLive pic.twitter.com/VjbxPKqgpy— ѕαtчα n prαdhαn, dírєctσr gєnєrαl,ndrf (@satyaprad1) July 27, 2019
Heavy rains since Thursday
Heavy rains have continued to lash Mumbai since Thursday night (July 25) and the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted intermittent rain with heavy to very heavy downpour to continue in parts of Mumbai, Thane and Palghar district until July 29. The IMD issued “an extremely heavy rain warning” (over 205 mm rain) for four districts along the Konkan coast for Sunday – Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and Raigad.
Also Read: India Likely to Get Above-Average Rainfall in Next Two Weeks: IMD
The IMD has also announced that due to the strengthening of monsoon currents and the formation of low-pressure area over North West Bay of Bengal, the rainfall’s intensity is very likely to increase over the North Konkan region of the state during the next 48 hours.
Over the last 24 hours, Mumbai’s adjoining districts have recorded very heavy rainfall. According to the IMD, Thane received 160 mm rainfall, Kalyan received 231 mm, Murbad and Karjat recorded 332 and 300 mm respectively. Further ahead, in Ulhasnagar, Ambernath, Bhiwandi and Shahpur, rainfall received was 296 mm, 280 mm, 185 mm and 195 mm respectively.
While the Mumbai suburban railway network was the first to be hit – train services were cancelled beyond Kalyan on the Kalyan- Karjat route, traffic snarls on the highways worsened due to low visibility.
“Very heavy rains in Kurla-Thane belt and very-very heavy rains beyond Kalyan. As a precautionary measure, we have suspended services from Kalyan to Karjat/Khopoli. Services on all other corridors of Central railway are running,” chief public relation officer of the Central Railway said.
Sections of highway closed
The highway traffic control has appealed people to avoid travelling, especially on the Mumbai-Pune expressway as the visibility was badly affected on Saturday morning and several motorists were already stranded on the expressway.
The Mumbai-Goa national highway was also momentarily shut for traffic due to flood in the Jagbudi river in coastal Ratnagiri district following heavy rains. Similarly, traffic on Nagothane and on Khopoli- Pali road have also been suspended due to rise in the water levels in Savitri and Amba rivers in Mahad and Pali in Raigad district.
Also Read: Mumbai’s Infamous Monsoon: Why It Grinds the City to a Halt
Fourteen years ago, on July 26, 2005, the city had received a heavy downpour that literally submerged the city for over three days. The city had virtually come to a standstill due to a cloudburst that resulted in 994 mm rainfall in 24 hours, leading to over 3,000 deaths in the city.
Similar situation arose in the suburban areas of Badlapur, Ambernath, where several houses and cars were submerged in rainwater. “I did not realise that it had rained heavily the entire night. I, like always, left home and was stuck in waist-deep water. There have been power cuts across Badlapur since Friday evening and water has entered into most houses on the ground floor,” said Sujit Kelhare, a resident of Rameshwadi area, one of the worst affected areas in Badlapur.
Similarly, on the western Mumbai suburbs, water logging and heavy traffic was seen in Andheri and Malad area. Abandoned and submerged cars were seen on the road in Malad.
Air services were also affected due to rains, with as many as 11 flight cancellations at the Mumbai airport since Saturday morning. Airport authorities, however, have claimed that operations were soon restored and the operation of flights has been resumed.